Snapshots of Time II
by hummerhouse
Summary: Momentary glimpses of life, captured and placed into an album. Drabble sets. Some stories may contain TCest.


Snapshots of Time II

**The Bet**

Raph's hand lightly grazed Donatello's tail as the red banded turtle reached past the genius to grab a clean glass.

When Don turned to look at his brother, Raph had already moved to the refrigerator to grab the jug of ice water. Expression bland, Raph appeared not to have noticed that he'd touched Donatello.

Don shook his head, trying to clear his reaction to the physical contact on one of the most erogenous zones of his entire body. The problem was that the whole day had been filled with that kind of accidental touching.

Both Raphael and Michelangelo were responsible for Don's current state of confusion. Ever since Don had gotten out of bed that morning, his two brightly banded brothers had been in his personal space for one reason or another.

Each encounter included either a gentle, apparently unintentional touch, a warm misting breath on sensitive flesh, or a movement that would have been sexual innuendo if the turtle in question hadn't appeared to be unaware of the action.

Donatello had intended to work on some security codes after dinner, but instead he found himself needy and a little desperate. The fact that he had gotten that way through no fault of his siblings was embarrassing as well.

"I think I'll turn in early," Don managed to mutter.

Leo looked up from the paper he was reading and said, "Goodnight Donny."

Mikey was focused on the Sudoku that he'd swiped from Leo and called out, "Sleep well."

"Night," Raph rumbled in his deep bass, turning to lean over Mikey's shoulder.

A shiver shook Don's shoulders as Raph's voice rolled over him and he practically ran upstairs to his room.

As soon as his door was shut, Mikey started to chuckle and jumped out of his chair.

"Ten bucks, right Raph?" he asked.

"That's what you're gonna be paying me," Raph said, leering at his younger brother.

Leo set his paper down carefully while eyeing his siblings.

"What have you two done now?" Leo asked, though not sure he really wanted to know.

"We haven't done anything," Mikey said. "Well, not really."

"Mikey says Donny masturbates and I say he don't," Raph announced in his usual straight forward manner. "The only way he can let loose like that is when he's having sex with one of us."

"Oh please." Mikey rolled his eyes. "Geniuses think with the little head sometimes too. He so jerks off."

"Yeah? Well the bet is ya' gotta prove it. We spent this whole day getting him worked up enough so that he'd make a mad dash for his room. How do ya' know he ain't up there reading one of his giant books so he can forget about being horny?" Raph asked.

Mikey slipped his shell cell out of his belt and said, "I could always call him and ask."

Leo was across the room before Mikey even saw movement. The oldest snatched the phone from Michelangelo's hand.

"You are not going to call Donny and ask if he's masturbating," Leo said darkly.

"No doubt his door is locked with a chair under the knob and the security alarm turned on," Raph said with a smug grin. "So I guess ya' ain't gonna peep in on him. I'll take those ten bucks now."

"Oh ye of little imagination," Mikey said.

Crossing to the pantry, he reached behind several boxes and pulled out a small, conical device made of plastic. A red light shone on top of it, and Mikey carefully spun a dial on the side.

Immediately the sound of grunts and low moans filled the kitchen.

"It's a baby monitor," Mikey chortled. "I put the other one in Don's room. And bro', that sure sounds like somebody who's taking a walk with Mr. Hand."

Raph frowned first, and then his lip curled back in a little snarl. He had to admit Mikey was right; the utterances coming through the speaker were definitely salacious.

Mikey's hand was out, palm up as he waited for his money.

"Fine, ya' win," Raph muttered, slapping a bill into Mikey's hand.

"No, actually I win," Don said, appearing from nowhere to snatch the money from Mikey.

"What the shell?" Raph erupted.

"Where . . .?" Mikey gasped.

Don held up the other monitor. "Hey, Mikey, were you aware that they make two-way baby monitors? It's so parents can soothe their little ones or so that brothers can listen to their siblings make bets behind their back."

"We were just curious Donny," Mikey said.

"Since ya' got the ten bucks, how about ya' tell us whether ya' do or don't?" Raph asked.

Donatello caught Leo's eye. "You tired bro'?" Don asked.

"Just a little," Leo said with a smile and joined his brother.

As they left together, Mikey whined, "Come on Donny, enquiring minds want to know!"

"What was that you said about imagination?" Don called back over his shoulder. "You and Raph can use your imaginations about me, because that's the only thing of yours getting close to my body for a long time."

Mikey's mouth dropped open and Raph sank into a chair.

"No way he can hold out," Mikey finally managed to say.

Raph put his head in his hands and mumbled, "Don't bet on that."

**Noises**

Whatever this group of Purple Dragons was up to, they were trying to be stealthy about it.

Leo signaled for his team to follow and the four of them melted into the shadows as they trailed along. It became apparent very soon that the Purple Dragons were trying to avoid the security cameras that were mounted in various locations on a building which warehoused fur coats.

Hunkered down behind a delivery van, the ninjas watched as the Purple Dragons spread out in a line along sections of the building that were out of sight of the cameras.

"What are they waiting for?" Mikey asked. "The pied piper isn't gonna play music and get those coats to walk out on their own."

"Shush, Mikey," Leo whispered. "We can't do anything to them until we find out if they're planning on breaking the law."

"Yeah Mikey; maybe tonight they're just _practicing_ ta be dirt bags," Raph murmured sarcastically.

Silence fell as two of the Dragons carefully lifted a third so he could slide up the brick wall towards one of the cameras. He was holding a can of spray paint in one hand.

"Paint?" Don asked incredulously. "That's their great plan?"

"Shh," Leo admonished. "Don't alert them to our presence until they do something criminal."

Raph palmed his face; he hated waiting. Then he heard a rumble from nearby and looked around, but there was nothing in sight.

Turning back to the Dragon activity, he heard the sound again, this time a bit louder. He knew what it was.

"Mikey," he hissed at his younger brother, "ya' should have eaten something before we left the lair."

Mikey glanced down at his stomach as an even louder rumble broke the silence.

"That's not me dude," he whispered in protest.

Another sound and the two bright banded turtles looked over at Donatello.

Don shook his head, "Nope, I actually ate dinner tonight."

The next sound was loud enough to alert one of the Purple Dragons, who turned to look in their direction. Four green heads ducked low as they attempted to avoid being seen.

"Shell, so much for stealth," Raph rasped. "Where the fuck is that sound coming from?"

The slightly sheepish voice of their fearless leader answered him. "Sorry, that's my stomach. I skipped dinner."

As if to register a protest, his stomach rumbled loudly and two of the Purple Dragons began shouting and pointing in their direction.

"Smooth move ninja master," Raph laughed as he sprang into action.

Pummeling the first of the Dragons, Raph was quite pleased not to be hiding anymore. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to tease the hell out of Leo when they got back home.

**Ghost**

The sound of Raphael's voice was low and steady, interrupted by an occasional hiss as Donatello pulled a needle through his skin.

Raph told the story of how he came to be injured and Don listened in nonjudgmental silence as he went about the business of once more repairing his scar laden brother.

Across the room, Leonardo listened as well. His face was in the shadows and Raph knew he'd purposely positioned himself there. Leo's arms were crossed over his plastron, his feet planted in a wide, firm stance. He hadn't said a word.

One glance at his older brother registered all of those things and afterwards Raph studiously avoided looking at him. Instead he concentrated on Don's hands, carefully checking off each move in this dance the two of them did so often.

Rinsing the blood from his hands, Don dug around in a cabinet until he found a strip of cloth that he could fashion a sling from. Fastening it around Raph's shoulder, he eased the injured arm inside and then tightened it to hold the arm snugly against Raph's chest.

Silence fell as the repair work and the story simultaneously ended. From Donatello, Raph expected nothing, but he knew he was in for it from Leonardo. Raph just wanted to get it over with.

"Go ahead and give me the lecture Fearless," Raph said. "I know you've been waiting."

He heard Leo take a deep breath and then exhale. Stepping out of the shadows, Leo walked towards where his injured brother sat. Instead of the seething anger Raph expected to see, Leo's face wore a look of tender concern.

"Maybe later Raph," Leo said as he stepped right up against Raph and pulled him into an embrace. "Not right now. All I want to do right now is hold you so I'll know you're real and solid; not some ghost."

Raph swallowed thickly, putting his good arm around Leo's carapace. This certainly wasn't what he'd expected, and his defensive anger slid away to be replaced by puzzled surprise.

"I ain't a ghost," Raph told him, wincing slightly as Leo's plastron pressed against his arm.

Leo eased back at the sound, looking down into his brother's face.

"You are in my nightmares," Leo whispered to him.

Don stepped over to them, a hypodermic in his hand.

"Raph, I need to give you this sedative. You have to relax those muscles for a few hours and I don't want you rolling around," Don said.

"Fuck no," Raph growled against Leo's neck, nuzzling into the warm skin.

"Give him the shot," Leo said, his voice vibrating richly against Raph's head.

Don hesitated for only a moment, but Raph didn't argue further. After Don administered the injection, he stepped away to clean up the infirmary.

"I ain't sleeping in here," Raph grumbled drowsily as the sedative began to take effect. "One of ya' better get me into my hammock."

Leo helped Raph get to his feet and then slid his shoulder under Raph's good arm. Getting a solid hold on the opposite edge of Raph's carapace, he started walking his brother to the door.

"Forget the hammock," Leo murmured softly, "you'll sleep in my bed tonight."


End file.
